Published: Sunday, September 15, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, September 14, 2013 at 5:50 p.m.

LANDRUM, S.C. – Greg Schlappi's eyes roved from photo to photo in his Landrum. The walls are covered with images of his wife, Amy Barrington, riding horses.

Facts

Equestrian aid

The Tryon Riding and Hunt Club is hosting a benefit dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at FENCE to raise funds for the Equestrian Aid Foundation. There will be a live auction and silent auction, and members will be selling "Ride for Amy" bracelets. Though donations cannot be earmarked for Amy Barrington, the family is likely to benefit from a foundation grant in the future. For information, call 828-863-0480 or email office@trhcevents.org.

Barrington, 52, is a horse lover and competitive eventer. She was injured Sept. 4 at her training stables, Winding River Farm in Tryon.

It's unclear exactly what happened, but at some point Barrington was kicked in the head by the horse she had been riding, Schlappi said. Barrington was rushed to Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, where she had brain surgery. She remains in a coma in the neurological intensive care unit at the hospital.

In the wake of the accident, a groundswell of support for Barrington and her family has emerged. Barrington and Schlappi have a 14-year old son, Ben, at Landrum High School.

A Facebook page – Amy Barrington Recovery Page – has nearly 3,500 “likes.” Fundraisers have sprung up across the country. In just a more than a week, nearly $30,000 has been raised in Barrington's name.

The equestrian community in Polk County and beyond has responded in overwhelming affirmation that Barrington is a beloved member of that brotherhood.

“I think it's two things,” Barrington's friend Libbie Johnson said. “I think it's about Amy, who has always been so giving to everybody else. She's just a great member of our horse community.”

It's also about the community taking care of one of its own, she said.

“I think (the support) is very reflective of our horse community,” Johnson added.

The accident

Schlappi was sitting at The Dog House in Campobello, S.C., with a co-worker when his phone rang on Sept. 4 and he was informed that his wife had been found unconscious in her arena.

“Amy's horse ran back into the barn without her,” he said.

Her friend, Ruth Ahearne, was at the stables and knew something was wrong, he said. While horses do sometimes come back to the barn alone, Schlappi said, the rider is almost always close behind on foot.

“I just grabbed the horse and went out and started looking for her,” Ahearne said.

She stepped out of the barn and called out for Barrington, who has been Ahearne's friend since they were 15 years old.

There was no answer. Ahearned secured her horse and looked again.

This time, she heard Barrington's dog, Indy, barking in a ring close by. She moved that way and saw Barrington lying near the edge of the ring.

She wasn't moving.

“That image still haunts me,” she said.

Ahearne ran back to the barn to get her cell phone, dialed 911 and called Schlappi.

It was a little bit of “divine intervention,” Ahearne said. She just happened to hang around after a lesson and was cleaning her saddle and bridle. Those are things, she joked, that she doesn't normally do.

Her presence that day, however, gave Barrington a fighting chance. No one else would've been at the barn until later in the afternoon.

After the call, Schlappi arrived at the emergency room, where he saw his wife for a few minutes before she went into the operating room for brain surgery. She's been in a coma since the surgery.

Support group

“I'm not surprised at how many people love her,” Ahearne said. “She's just the kind of person you don't want to give up, once you know her.”

Thousands of people share those same thoughts of Barrington. Her dedicated Facebook page has had hundreds of posts sharing stories about how kind, caring and knowledgeable Barrington is. Those posts have come from all over the world.

The comments are from riding colleagues, students and friends. Ruth Grubbs has known Barrington for 10 years. Barrington was her trainer.

“She knows how to push you,” Grubbs said. “You work hard and you learn a lot. She inspires a quiet confidence.”

Beth Perkins has been friends with Barrington for more than two decades. Perkins, like thousands of others, believes that Barrington will push through and return to her friends.

“She's as strong a person as there is,” Perkins said. “If anyone can pull through this, Amy can.”

Those positive thoughts and all of the love have helped Schlappi to remain positive. The emotional support has propped him up.

“Just understanding how many people care about Amy and us,” he said, he voice breaking. He couldn't finish the thought.

“I can't talk about it,” he said. “I'm emotional about it.”

That “outpouring of love” has helped in a different way.

The online and nationwide support, Schlappi said, played a vital role in Barrington being accepted as a patient at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.

He received the word on Friday that Barrington would be transferred there. The center specializes in brain and spinal cord injuries. The financial contributions are making it possible, he said, but even more so, the hospital was blown away by the huge circle of support surrounding his wife.

That support will be needed when she wakes up.

The injury is on the left side of her brain. That side effects a person's speech and movement on the right side of the body, he said.

“We're preparing for that, but we're hoping there won't be too much damage,” he said.

And while he admits that it's “devastating” to see his wife in her current condition, Schlappi's thoughts are positive.

“You can't dwell on that,” he said. “You have to keep thinking about what you can do to help her.”

Part of that help, he said, is keeping all of her friends updated on the Facebook page.

“I think by keeping her friends informed, I'm helping Amy,” he said.

In the meantime, the prognosis is up in the air. Doctors have said that she could wake up soon or it may take a while. Having his wife regain consciousness is what Schlappi wants more than anything in the world right now.

“We need her to wake up,” he said.

Thousands of people on Facebook agree.

For more information on Barrington's progress, follow the updates on her Facebook page, Amy Barrington Recovery. To make a contribution, visit her fundraising page on youcaring.com.

<p>LANDRUM, S.C. – Greg Schlappi's eyes roved from photo to photo in his Landrum. The walls are covered with images of his wife, Amy Barrington, riding horses.</p><p>Barrington, 52, is a horse lover and competitive eventer. She was injured Sept. 4 at her training stables, Winding River Farm in Tryon. </p><p>It's unclear exactly what happened, but at some point Barrington was kicked in the head by the horse she had been riding, Schlappi said. Barrington was rushed to Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, where she had brain surgery. She remains in a coma in the neurological intensive care unit at the hospital.</p><p>In the wake of the accident, a groundswell of support for Barrington and her family has emerged. Barrington and Schlappi have a 14-year old son, Ben, at Landrum High School.</p><p>A Facebook page – Amy Barrington Recovery Page – has nearly 3,500 “likes.” Fundraisers have sprung up across the country. In just a more than a week, nearly $30,000 has been raised in Barrington's name.</p><p>The equestrian community in Polk County and beyond has responded in overwhelming affirmation that Barrington is a beloved member of that brotherhood.</p><p>“I think it's two things,” Barrington's friend Libbie Johnson said. “I think it's about Amy, who has always been so giving to everybody else. She's just a great member of our horse community.”</p><p>It's also about the community taking care of one of its own, she said.</p><p>“I think (the support) is very reflective of our horse community,” Johnson added.</p><p> </p><p><b>The accident</b></p><p> Schlappi was sitting at The Dog House in Campobello, S.C., with a co-worker when his phone rang on Sept. 4 and he was informed that his wife had been found unconscious in her arena. </p><p>“Amy's horse ran back into the barn without her,” he said. </p><p>Her friend, Ruth Ahearne, was at the stables and knew something was wrong, he said. While horses do sometimes come back to the barn alone, Schlappi said, the rider is almost always close behind on foot. </p><p>“I just grabbed the horse and went out and started looking for her,” Ahearne said. </p><p>She stepped out of the barn and called out for Barrington, who has been Ahearne's friend since they were 15 years old. </p><p>There was no answer. Ahearned secured her horse and looked again.</p><p>This time, she heard Barrington's dog, Indy, barking in a ring close by. She moved that way and saw Barrington lying near the edge of the ring. </p><p>She wasn't moving.</p><p>“That image still haunts me,” she said.</p><p>Ahearne ran back to the barn to get her cell phone, dialed 911 and called Schlappi.</p><p>It was a little bit of “divine intervention,” Ahearne said. She just happened to hang around after a lesson and was cleaning her saddle and bridle. Those are things, she joked, that she doesn't normally do.</p><p>Her presence that day, however, gave Barrington a fighting chance. No one else would've been at the barn until later in the afternoon.</p><p>After the call, Schlappi arrived at the emergency room, where he saw his wife for a few minutes before she went into the operating room for brain surgery. She's been in a coma since the surgery. </p><p> </p><p><b>Support group</b></p><p> “I'm not surprised at how many people love her,” Ahearne said. “She's just the kind of person you don't want to give up, once you know her.”</p><p>Thousands of people share those same thoughts of Barrington. Her dedicated Facebook page has had hundreds of posts sharing stories about how kind, caring and knowledgeable Barrington is. Those posts have come from all over the world.</p><p>The comments are from riding colleagues, students and friends. Ruth Grubbs has known Barrington for 10 years. Barrington was her trainer.</p><p>“She knows how to push you,” Grubbs said. “You work hard and you learn a lot. She inspires a quiet confidence.”</p><p>Beth Perkins has been friends with Barrington for more than two decades. Perkins, like thousands of others, believes that Barrington will push through and return to her friends.</p><p>“She's as strong a person as there is,” Perkins said. “If anyone can pull through this, Amy can.”</p><p>Those positive thoughts and all of the love have helped Schlappi to remain positive. The emotional support has propped him up. </p><p>“Just understanding how many people care about Amy and us,” he said, he voice breaking. He couldn't finish the thought.</p><p>“I can't talk about it,” he said. “I'm emotional about it.”</p><p>That “outpouring of love” has helped in a different way.</p><p>The online and nationwide support, Schlappi said, played a vital role in Barrington being accepted as a patient at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.</p><p>He received the word on Friday that Barrington would be transferred there. The center specializes in brain and spinal cord injuries. The financial contributions are making it possible, he said, but even more so, the hospital was blown away by the huge circle of support surrounding his wife.</p><p>That support will be needed when she wakes up.</p><p>The injury is on the left side of her brain. That side effects a person's speech and movement on the right side of the body, he said. </p><p>“We're preparing for that, but we're hoping there won't be too much damage,” he said. </p><p>And while he admits that it's “devastating” to see his wife in her current condition, Schlappi's thoughts are positive.</p><p>“You can't dwell on that,” he said. “You have to keep thinking about what you can do to help her.”</p><p>Part of that help, he said, is keeping all of her friends updated on the Facebook page.</p><p>“I think by keeping her friends informed, I'm helping Amy,” he said. </p><p>In the meantime, the prognosis is up in the air. Doctors have said that she could wake up soon or it may take a while. Having his wife regain consciousness is what Schlappi wants more than anything in the world right now.</p><p>“We need her to wake up,” he said.</p><p>Thousands of people on Facebook agree.</p><p>For more information on Barrington's progress, follow the updates on her Facebook page, Amy Barrington Recovery. To make a contribution, visit her fundraising page on youcaring.com.</p><p><i>Reach Millwood at 828-694-7881 or at joey.millwood@blueridgenow.com.</p>